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No. 573,082. Patten ted Dec. 15,1896.

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THE norms PETERS co, morau'mm WASHINGTON n c UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

CARL ERBEN, CF BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSIGN'OR TO'EMANUEL BERGMANN, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 573,082, dated December 15, 1896.

Application filed October 10, 1895. Serial No. 565,255. (No model.) Patented in Germany June 21, 1892, No. 80,299; in Austrier-Hungary November 6, 1893, No. 60,660 and No. 95,352; in England November 9, 1893,1To. 21,327; in France November 11,1893, No.233,983; in Belgium November 13,1895, No. 107,145, and in Switzerland February 21,1894,N0.8,124.

To (.tZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARL ERBEN, a subject of the King of Prussia, German Emperor, residing at Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia,

in the German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Meters, (for which Letters Patent have been granted to me jointly with another in Germany, No. 80,299, dated June 21, 1892 5' in IO Austria-Hungary, No. 60,660 and No. 95,352, dated November 6, 1893; in England, No. 21,327, dated November 9, 1893; in France, No. 233,983, dated November 11, 1893; in Belgium, No. 107 ,145, dated November 13,

I5 1891; in Switzerland, No. 8,124 dated February 21, 1893, and in France, additional patent, dated March 30, 1895,) of which the fol lowing is a specification.

The electric meter which is the object of the present invention is based upon the principle that the passage of the electric current may influence magnets or solenoids in such a way as to transfer an equivalent influence upon the speed-regulating mechanism of a clockwork, so that such clockwork may be caused to move quicker or slower, as the case may be,in order that by a comparison between the indications of this clockwork and those given by a normal clockwork not influenced 3 as aforesaid a measurement of the current that has passed through the meter may be obtained.

This invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings, in whichy Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 1, are elevations at right angles to one another, showing the balance-wheel of a clockwork and the means for influencing it, as above described. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is an elevation, Fig. 4 a section on 40 line 4 4, Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 a section on line 5 5 in Fig.4, showing another form of such mechanism. Fig. 6, Sheet 3, is an elevation, Fig. 7, Sheet at, is an elevational section, and

' Fig. 8, Sheet a detail view in plan, show- 5 ing a further modification, the Figs. ,6 to 8 also showing the clockwork, which is the same for all the modifications- Referring more particularly to Fig. 7, the

clockwork which is to be influenced in the manner described comprises the spring-bar- 5o rel 0"", the wheel-train 0* T and the escapement-wheel 0", with the teeth of which the anchor-escapement z cooperates in the usual manner, (1, being its shaft and g the forked arm thereon, engaging with pin .9 on the bal ance-wheel u, as is usual with this form of escapement.

Reverting now to Figs. 1 and 2, fisthe balance-spring, the inner end of which is attached to the shaft of balance-wheel t. Its 6c outer end is connected to one end of a rod t, which forms a cross-head to the arm which radiates from the shaft a the axis of which lies in prolongation of the axis of shaft a. The rod 15 is thus enabled to move in an are of a circle about the axis of shafts a aiwhile maintaining its parallelism. with said axis. Thus movement of one end, if, of rod t is accompanied by equal and simultaneous movement of the other end, i and whatever restraint isv given to end 6 is equally represented at end t. The end 25 projects through a quadrilateral frame 9', carried by an arm 0 on a shaft a the axis of which is preferably in prolongation of that-of shafts a a On the other side of shaft a" the arm 0 car ries a permanent magnet 2', to be influenced by the bobbin 6, through which the current is to be passed. The weight of rod 25 and its arm may be exactly counterbalanced by a screw-threaded weight 19 on the screw-thread ed arm j, which projects from shaft a diametrically opposite to the arm carrying rod 25. The movement of the magnet i may also be adjustedthat is to say, increased or diminished in effect-by adjustment of a screwthreaded counterweight p on a screw-threaded projection of arm 0 beyond the frame 9.

The action of the clockwork causes a tendency to be given to the outer end of spring f to oscillate, andthis movement is transferred to rod t and to the parts g 0 i 1'). So long as no current is passing, this oscillation has only to overcome the inertia of these parts, which may be regulated by adjustment of screwweight p so as to oppose the oscillation to some extent. The vibrations of the balancespring f are then at their slowest, and the clock consequently moves at its slowestrate. \Vhen current passes through bobbin 6, the magnet c is attracted and a greater resistance or smaller limits given to the oscillation of rod 6. The vibrations of spring f are thus proportionately accelerated and the clock moves quicker. The stronger the current the greater is the resistance and stability given to rod 25 and the quicker the movement of the balance-spring f and of the clock.

The modification shown in Figs. 3 to 5 differs from the above in the following particulars: In place of a magnet/i acting as-a pendulum the arms 0 carry solenoids t", balancing each other and brought within the field of the twofixed bobbinsce, traversed by the current. Current is supplied to the solenoids 13 41 by means of two elastic and flexible bands y g of silver-foil or othersuitableconductive material, which areattached one on each side ofi'the insulating-block 00 on the axle aflwhencc wires carry the current to the solenoids. The rod tis not carried by a special arm and shaft, "bu'tis fixed to the arm 0, which item'braces with its forkedend the arm obe-in'gsecured'by set-screw 7b. The arm 0 therefore serves to hold rodt. The action of 'sp'ring'j seeks to oscillate the pair of solenoids, while the current passing through coils e e'tends to restrain such movement in proportion to its-strength. By adding to red t an indicator j and placing in relation to the lattera fixed scale (Z the intensity of the current prevailing at the mom cnt of observation may be observed fromthe amplitude of the oscillations of the indicator To prevent excessive amplitude of oscillation and afford. means for regulation, the oscillationso'f rod 25 may be controlled by two spiral springs 2; c equal in power but contrary in the application of their force to the rod t, their inner ends being attached to the framework and their outer ends tothe rodt. These sprin givca counter tension to the oscillations of rod 25' and its attendant parts, and by giving greater or less tensionto these springstheoseillations may be controlled in a suitabledegree exactly asiin the previouslydescribedmodification themoment of pendulum-magnet 1; was rendered adjust-able for the same .purposethat is to say, to adjust the time gain of the clock in proportion to the electric current.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 to S the meter is so constructed that the limiting of the oscillations of the free cndlof the balance-spring is performed by an angle or forked'piece of mechanismrotaril'y supported by acounter-spring. Bythus cushioningthc resistance theaction is easier and expenditure of force less. In this. example the solenoids z" are mounted upon their carrier 0 in such a way in relation 'to the bobbins e .e that they oscillate on anaxi's longitudinally central. with carrier 0, which therefore becomes their axle and is carried in bearings l Z The balancing-springs 4/22 which control the oscillations of the solenoids, are here applied as shown in Fig. 7, being mounted on insulating-blocks b and connected severally by rods u a with a disk I) on the shaft 0'. The springs r r also here serve as conductors for theenrrent to the solenoids. The movement of shaft 0 is transferred by crank h and pin to shaft 0 on which is a lever m, one end of which carries a balance-weight 13 while the other end serves as a bearing for a shaft 0, on which oscillates an angularly-bent plate of which one arm is elongated at c to form a slotted lever, Fig. 6, while the other angularly-bent arm engages the outer end; of a spiral spring f, theinner end of which is secured to a pin m at the end of lever m. The balance-springf has its outer end secured to an arm of shaft a, which has also anarm q, engaging in the slotted lever c. aforesaid. The operation of this construction is-as follows: The position of the solenoid-s t" governs that-of the lever m,- so'th-at-the shaft 0 is m'oved more or less to the-left of the position shown in Fig. 0. The arm (1. thus engages inthe slot of lever cat a point moreor less removed from the axle 0 and consequently the counter-spring f has more. or less restraining. force on the oscillations of the arm q, according as the point of engagcmentof the latter varies in its distancefrom the center 0 onwhich the lever c, governed by spring f rocks. As this distance is governed by the position of lever on, that is to say, by the force of current passing through coilsc, the oscillations of arm q are restrained with more or less powcr,according to the force of the current, whilev thesolenoidsare, however, in this construction outside thecounter influence of the. clock. Resistance to arm q is equivalent to resistance to arm t, that is to say, tothe free end of springf. The indicator j is here-operated by the springf controlled by an arm of shaft 0 thelatter having an arm 40 with a pin 07, engaging in a fork on the lever m.

H'tving now described my invention, I

1'. In an electric meter; the combination withthe oscillatory balance spiral spring of a clockwork of an arm secured tosaid spiral spring, movableabntments for saidarm and magnets adapted tobcinfluenced by thecurrent to be measured for the movement of saidabutments into such position that they .limit the free space fortheoscillationsof the said balance-spring substantially for the purpose. set forth.

The.combination.witlrtheoscillatorybalance spiral spring. of aclockwork, of a second counter-spring connected with the balance-spring by-a lever-arm, and mag-nets adapted to "be influenced by-the current to be measured adaptedtocontrolthe operative length of said lever-arm and thus adjust the be influenced by the current to be measured means for causing the magnets to control the 15 are of oscillation of said balance-spring and means for connecting said magnets with the pointer for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscrib- 2o ing witnesses.

CARL ERBEN.)

lVitnesses W. HAUPT, CHAS. II. DAY. 

